The new Prius v, with “v” expressing the vehicle’s versatility, shares the current generation Prius’ platform and Hybrid Synergy Drive technology, including the NiMH battery pack. A new vehicle designed from the ground up, Prius v has a shape that evolved from Prius rather than being an elongated version. Click to enlarge. Prius v powertrain. MORE

NiMH battery pack, Power Control Unit (PCU), motor Electric Control Unit (ECU), and cooling system. In the US, the Insight carries an EPA city/highway/combined fuel-economy rating of 40/43/41 miles per gallon US. Insight sales in Japan from launch. Click to enlarge. The Insight G. Click to enlarge. MORE

The Electric Power Assist System (EPAS) is located behind the tailpipe on the shuttle bus chassis. The system combines a 100 kW AC induction traction motor, power electronics and 288 V NiMH battery pack with the conventional 5.4-liter Triton gasoline engine and 5-speed automatic Torqshift transmission. Click to enlarge. Collins bus. MORE

Estimated EPA fuel economy ratings are 53/46/50 mpg US city/highway/combined (4.4/5.1/4.7 This improves torque in all engine speed ranges as well as increasing fuel economy, and reducing exhaust emissions. The NiMH pack in the Liftback is 201V.) The pack comprises 20 NiMH modules (120 cells), with each module 7.2V DC (1.2 MORE

Bubble chart of plausible mainstream PHEV buyers’ battery requirements (light and dark gray circles) and experts’s requirements overlaid on a Ragone plot of NiMH and Li-ion batteries. The Most Plausible Early Market consumers value fuel economy. Source: Ken Kurani. Click to enlarge. Which cars should be built when? MORE

Monthly fuel economy of the retrofitted Honda Civic during the first 9 months of the fleet test. DOE researchers attributed the significant fuel economy reduction for May, June, and July as most likely being due to significant mountain driving and the likely use of the vehicle’s air conditioning. Source: DOE. Click to enlarge. MORE

The vehicle uses a 3.5litre V6 petrol engine and a two-mode hybrid system to produce 46 per cent better fuel economy than a comparable V8-powered ML550 model. Its EPA rating is 24mpg highway, 21mpg city. Motorists in the US can count down the hours until the launch of the new Mercedes ML450 HYBRID. MORE

Monthly fuel economy of the retrofitted Honda Civic during the first 9 months of the fleet test. DOE researchers attributed the significant fuel economy reduction for May, June, and July as most likely being due to significant mountain driving and the likely use of the vehicle’s air conditioning. Source: DOE. Click to enlarge.

NiMH battery pack, Power Control Unit (PCU), motor Electric Control Unit (ECU), and cooling system. In the US, the Insight carries an EPA city/highway/combined fuel-economy rating of 40/43/41 miles per gallon US. Insight sales in Japan from launch. Click to enlarge. The Insight G. Click to enlarge.

The Electric Power Assist System (EPAS) is located behind the tailpipe on the shuttle bus chassis. The system combines a 100 kW AC induction traction motor, power electronics and 288 V NiMH battery pack with the conventional 5.4-liter Triton gasoline engine and 5-speed automatic Torqshift transmission. Click to enlarge. Collins bus.

The vehicle uses a 3.5litre V6 petrol engine and a two-mode hybrid system to produce 46 per cent better fuel economy than a comparable V8-powered ML550 model. Its EPA rating is 24mpg highway, 21mpg city. Motorists in the US can count down the hours until the launch of the new Mercedes ML450 HYBRID.

The new Prius v, with “v” expressing the vehicle’s versatility, shares the current generation Prius’ platform and Hybrid Synergy Drive technology, including the NiMH battery pack. A new vehicle designed from the ground up, Prius v has a shape that evolved from Prius rather than being an elongated version. Click to enlarge. Prius v powertrain.